LONDON (AP) — England’s second-tier Championship has been hit with another spying controversy.
Southampton has been contacted by the English Football League following a complaint by Middlesbrough “relating to alleged unauthorized filming” ahead of the teams’ meeting in the Championship playoffs, the EFL said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.
“The alleged incident is said to have taken place on Middlesbrough’s private property by an individual identified to be associated with Southampton,” the statement continued.
The EFL said it was treating this matter as “potential misconduct” and has requested Southampton’s observations.
The first leg of their playoff semifinal is on Saturday, at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium. The second leg is on Tuesday in Southampton.
In 2019, the EFL fined Leeds 200,000 pounds ($259,000) for spying on one of Derby’s training sessions ahead of a game between the teams.
Marcelo Bielsa, who was manager of Leeds at the time, accepted responsibility for having a club employee spy on Derby’s practice. In a detailed, hour-long news conference, Bielsa later admitted to having watched at least one of each of his opponents’ training sessions.
In handing out the fine, the EFL said Leeds’ conduct “fell significantly short of the standards expected by the EFL and must not be repeated.”
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